The Love Fortune of Venus
by SailorPlanetMars
Summary: A brief Sailor Venus Story. Between the end of Codename wa Sailor V and the start of Sailor Moon. Enjoy and review!
1. The First End

"I'll tell your final love fortune." Kaitou Ace whispered it, slowly, like poison. Her world had flipped enough times in the past few minutes. She begged it stop, anything but this. "The Ace of Hearts." It sounded like a doomsday prophecy. "It is your fate to defeat the ones that you love." She was on the verge of tears. All she wanted was for things to be the way they were before – before any of this. She could not listen anymore. Tears stained the ground as she turned her face away. "What's wrong? You should look happier. Your love will be hopeless for all eternity." The shock was palpable. She shook her head, in fierce denial. It couldn't possibly be. No, no, no, she wouldn't accept it! "Now you can go on living, without having to torture yourself over the ultimate choice – your love or your duty. Your fate is to continue fighting." As her enemies crumbled to dust, something else crumbled to dust. She wasn't sure what it was, but it was inside of her. That much was undeniable. Her heart… her soul… maybe something more. Then the memories. Rushing like the rains of Venus she remembered so well now, the memories. Of her planet, of her kingdom, of her past life. But most of all, of her past friends, her past comrades, her past duty. To protect… that one special person. That was all that really mattered. As long as her princess survived, she was expendable.

From that day forward, Minako's life changed, completely and absolutely. Her fun-loving, childlike self still existed, undeniably so. But the princess of Venus and protector of the Silver Millennium existed, doubly undeniably. Everyone noticed. Even Hikaru-chan, her very best friend, slowly and steadily removed herself from the picture. Rumours started. "She's always so serious." "She never relaxes." "What do you think is wrong with her?" "I think she's got cancer." "No, she's just found out she's not all there, I bet!" Always number 1 popular student, Aino Minako-chan, now the laughing stock of the school. He was right. Her love was doomed forever.

Then the Boss called. "Mina! Minako, come in!" Her pen screamed loudly, louder than before. She responded in kind.

"What is it, boss?"

"The Dark Agency! Their affiliates, the Dark Actors, have sprung to action in England!"

"What? I thought I defeated the Dark Agency!"

"It's time now to explain everything to you properly, Mina. Your defeat of Danburite has proved that. You remember your purpose and your past life, but there is data in the Moon Palace Computer that no-one has known until now. The Dark Agency minions were but mere pawns of a greater organisation – they were the east wing of the Dark Kingdom."

"The Dark… Kingdom?"

"Yes. The Dark Kingdom is an evil organisation that planned to steal the peace of the moon for the Earth. They consist of five sub-sections. The Dark Agency, which was the east wing, the Dark Actors who are the west wing, now active in London, the Dark Destroyers, the south wing, Dark Destiny, the north wing and the Dark Protectors, who guard their base. The Dark Destroyers and Dark Destiny were sealed away in the distant past, never to be seen again. The seal has held, so far. The Dark Actors are seeking for an artefact that was rumoured to have fallen to Earth, with the key to the seal. You must stop them!"

She listened in shocked silence. She thought her fight was over, for long enough to enjoy the rest of the 8th grade, anyway. It wasn't fair! Why did it have to be her! The light sound of a cat jumping broke her reverie. "Artemis! You scared me!"

"We're going, Boss!"

"Good. Farewell, Mina. This is the end of my communications with you. After this, you will not need me. It is time for us to part. Farewell and good luck!"

"Thanks for everything, Boss. I couldn't have taken on the Dark Agency without you!" She had never known anything about Boss. He used a voice modifying machine so she couldn't pick his voice over the pen, and she had never seen him. But still, she had grown close to him, and it was sad to hear his last message.

-End of Chapter 1 - More next week!


	2. The Second Beginning

Next thing she knew, she was on a plane to England. Artemis had created a block in her parent's memories, so they temporarily forgot they had a daughter. It broke her heart to know her parents didn't know she existed. But it was for the best. She understood that. Again, Artemis snapped her out of her thoughts, saving her from the deep sadness she felt. "Mina. There is one more thing. Sailor V… is not your true form. It was a disguise. So that the Dark Kingdom wouldn't attack in full force until we were ready. Here." A new pen, stunningly beautiful, golden with an orange tip. A strange symbol was inscribed on a circle, within a ring on the top.

"The symbol of Venus."

"You remember, Minako."

"Of course. How could I forget my kingdom?"

"This pen will give you more power. As Sailor Venus."

Sailor Venus. A new form, with new powers. She was excited to try it.

Once in England, she almost immediately encountered the Dark Actors – they weren't ones for hiding. People in the streets ran and screamed in a desperate attempt to escape from a group of four people dressed entirely in black. They seemed to be speaking - a about two or three words, together, keeping perfect time. It sounded something like "clay dila-nuwe", to Minako's ears. She prepared to transform, holding her new pen at the ready. "Ve… huh?" Minako was interrupted by a strange girl running in from the left. She was wearing pink and had shoulder-length brown hair. And she was… SHOOTING AT THE MEN! "Stop!" Minako yelled in a commanding voice, hoping she could stop her. No such luck. This crazy girl continued running at them, shouting in a language Minako knew was English, but only vaguely understood. A flash of black emanated from the men, sending this woman flying. "Good. My turn now! Venus Power! Make UP!" In a flood of light, Sailor Venus appeared where Minako then stood. "Hey!" A loud noise drew the eyes of the Dark Actors. A girl in a leotard, with a short orange skirt, with two orange bows and orange shoes, was blocking the sunlight. "How dare you interrupt a peaceful day for your own selfish needs? I, Sailor Venus, will punish you in the name of Venus, planet of love and beauty!" Normally her opening speech elicited a response from her enemies, but these four continued their strange, otherworldly chant. "Clay dila-nwe, clay dila-nwe…"

"Hey! At least respond when I talk to you!" Venus shouted angrily, at least hoping to evoke a proper fight before sending these freaks back where they belonged. "No response? Fine! Have it your way! Crescent… BEAM!" A bright bolt of orange light struck two of the four men and the dissolved into a black mist. If the other men were shocked at the death of their comrades, they didn't show it. If anything, they became more callous and chanted with more dedication than before. Venus gritted her teeth, waiting for a counter-attack. The two men turned together and generated a small, black orb between their hands. It grew and grew and gradually consumed them. Venus prepared her legs to jump as high as she could; in an attempt to dodge the large blast undoubtedly headed her way. Then… it disappeared. And the men with it. After a brief moment of confusion, she went into damage control.


	3. A Meeting

The woman in pink was unconscious, about 100 metres away. Quickly changing back, with a brilliant orange flash, Minako ran to her side. "Pulse, check! Breathing, check! Heartbeat, check! Thank goodness, she's alive!" A relieved gasp escaped her lips, glad that this crazy woman was alright. Three minutes later, the woman woke up. "Are you okay?" Minako asked her a relatively simple question, but only got a confused stare in response. The woman muttered something, but Minako couldn't understand it. This was weird. Artemis nudged her, a couple of times. Why? She was speaking plain Japanese, what was wrong with this woman? Wait… Japanese! This is London! Minako blushed at her stupidity no to notice that she was in a foreign country. Oh well, no time like the present to try something new!

"Hou aa yuu feeringu?" Minako attempted some broken English to ask this woman the same question. "Yuu waa unukonshius hiaa." God, Minako was glad she payed attention in remedial English. She never would have survived here otherwise.

The pink-wearing woman cleared her throat and spoke. "I'm good, thank you. Thank you very much for looking after me. I'm Katarina. What's your name?" Wait a minute. How did she understand this so well? This woman… Katarina… spoke Japanese. Thank God! She spoke Japanese!

"I'm Minako. Nice to meet you. And this is Artemis." A couple of meows from the white moon cat on her shoulder put both girls at ease. It was a relief to be speaking her mother tongue again. English was such a weird, illogical language.

"What happened to those men? They were wearing black, and I tried to stop them wreaking all that havoc, but I passed out! Where did they go?" Oh. This is bad. Minako was already inventing cover stories.

"Well, this girl in a sailor suit… Sailor Venus, she called herself? She showed up and dealt with two of them, and then the other two ran away." A smile broke out on Minako's lips. "It's okay now."

"That's good." Standing up and dusting herself off, Katarina motioned for Minako to walk with her. "Say, Minako. What're doing here in London anyway?" Damn! This woman would not stop asking questions that Minako couldn't answer.

"Uhhh…" Minako looked around, and even Artemis was stumped for answers. "Well, I… I Heard crime rates were… were… increasing in England and my dad is a police officer and umm… well… he was transferred here to help out!" Punctuating with a light laugh, Minako hoped this was believable.

"That's perfect! I work with Interpol! I might know him! What's his name?" A pair a sparkling blue eyes, that reminded Minako so much of her own, stared at her, driving her to answer.

"Well… uh… uh ha ha ha… uhmmmmm.." What could she do? She couldn't tell her a false name. She'd find out! She couldn't back out on it now, it would be too suspicious! Ah… it looks like she had no choice. Preparing to run away, she readied her excuse on her tongue. But then, a thought occurred to her. Katarina reminded her of someone else, not just herself. Natsuna… Natsuna-oneesan. The Superintendent-General of the Metropolitan Police Board, a close friend of Minako's and the only other person who knew her secret. She felt like Katarina was just an English Natsuna. Maybe… and she was a police officer so she could help her. She was with Interpol, so she probably could speak a lot of languages, or knew people who could. Yes… Katarina… could know. She was acceptable. "Katarina. I have a secret to tell you. Can we go someplace private?"


	4. A Secret of the Heart

Sorry for taking so long to post - my life is a permanate mess, that disagrees with my writing addiction.

A stylishly decorated apartment seemed an appropriate place for this kind of secret. Nice tones of blue, and orange, perfect colours. Minako breathed in deeply, preparing to begin. "Katarina… do you remember how I said that Sailor Venus showed up and took care of those men?" A nod was the symbol to continue. "Well… I am Sailor Venus. I am a re-incarnation of the Princess of Venus that lived during the Silver Millennium, a protector of the princess of the Moon and warrior against threats to our peace." Minako let it hang in the air. "I know it may difficult to believe, but it's true. I defeated a group in Japan called the Dark Agency. There are news reports of Sailor V and mysterious monsters all over Japan. That was me. I wore a mask to hide my identity, because the Dark Agency were a sub-sect of the Dark Kingdom. If they attacked full force, I couldn't have won by myself. I needed to wait until some of my comrades from the past awakened, too. Now that one has, I was sent here. Another sub-sect of the Dark Kingdom, the Dark Actors, are active in England, and they were those weird men from earlier. They're searching for a key to a seal that holds the Dark Destroyers and Dark Destiny, the two most powerful sub-sects, at bay. If I don't stop them, the world could be destroyed!" Minako spilled all the secrets to this random woman from the street she meant but a few minutes ago.

"Minako… you're wrong." A sideways glance, a quick look of puzzlement, and suddenly Katarina was responding in kind. "You said if "you" don't stop them… you're not alone." Minako gasped. She was right. Her comrades and her princess… how could she forget?

"You're right. My comrades should be awakening soon… Thanks for reminding me."

"No." Wait, what? That's not… what she meant? "Sure, your comrades will come around in time… but until then, you have me. I mightn't be a powerful princess from the past like you, but I'm a police officer, and it's my duty to uphold peace. More importantly, it's my duty to protect the residents of this world. And most importantly, to protect my friends. Like you." Minako gasped. So much like Natsuna. "I can speak 5 different languages, and have connections all over the world. I can help you, Minako. Let me, please." Minako was shocked. This woman… was laying her life on the line… to protect a random foreigner she met on the street, five maybe ten minutes ago? She had the will, and the strength of a true soldier. A soldier of Venus, one her legions from the past, as princess and warlord. Katarina was the right choice. Tears gathered in the corners of her eyes and she hugged the no-longer-a-stranger sitting across from her.

"Katarina… oneesama. Yes." The two words were all it took. Suddenly, each was crying in the other's arms. "Yes, yes, yes!"


	5. A Plan

After the tears dried, and after arrangements were made for Minako to stay with Katarina, there were still issued to be addressed. Three days after their initial meeting, Katarina woke Minako. It felt early. Rolling over and checking the clock, she saw it was 6:30 am. So early… why had Katarina-oneesama woken her this early? "Huh… Oneesama, it's early. What is it?"

"I have a plan, Minako. I though you deserved to hear it first."

30 minutes later, they were fully dressed, showered and had eaten. "Okay, spill. What's the plan?" Now there was a way to proceed, Minako was ready to hear it.

"It's pretty long. Be ready." Minako steeled her patience for a beating. Katarina was much more patient than she was. If she said long, it was long. "Okay. Step 1. Is it possible for you to re-assume the form of Sailor V?" Minako nodded. Although she no longer needed it to fight, the Crescent Moon Compact still had enough power to disguise her as Sailor V. "Good. Today, I want to come with me to the Interpol headquarters, as Sailor V." Minako smiled. She really _was _like Natsuna. Very much indeed. "Being Sailor V will be beneficial, because we can rely on reports and newspapers from Japan to back up your skill. We will propose to them that you and I, along with a small attachment of officers research these 'Dark Actors' that threaten world peace. Sufficient research could lead us a lot further forward in the case." Minako continued smiling. Katarina was most definitely the right decision. She was a true warrior. She may have no power from her lineage, but she most definitely had power in herself. If this were the past, Minako would have her posted commander of an entire company of Venusian soldiers. "If we can find this mysterious artefact they are after first, then we can the other factions of the Dark Kingdom awakening." Still smiling, Minako replied to the finished plan.

"It's perfect. Thank you, Oneesama."


	6. Headquarters

Later that morning, at the Interpol HQ, Katarina in uniform guided Minako to the nearest private place, a toilet on the first floor where she could transform. Again, the memories of Natsuna proved to be in Minako's heart, rather than her mind, because she could not help but smile like fool as she followed Katarina to a medium-sized board room in which some ten or eleven male officers had gathered. Katarina spoke to them in English, delivering a short speech which she assumed was her introduction. Translating under her breath, Katarina explained to Minako, "I just told them who you are and what you're doing here. I said I was your chaperone and guardian, and that you only speak limited English. Don't worry, I didn't give them the whole story, only what they needed." Katarina was perfect. Absolutely perfect. Fate couldn't have dealt her a better lieutenant if it had so much as tried. "Now, I need to talk to my boss about having an audience with you. That'll be our best shot at getting this sorted out." She winked as she left. Suddenly alone, Minako realised the male officers gathering around her.

[Author's note: Only Alan and Katarina speak Japanese to Minako. The others speak English. Minako's English is recognisable by the fact it is written in transliterated Japanese syllables]

"Hey, little darling. You're quite… attractive for your age." One of the men had a look on his face the Minako would rather not see again as he looked at her exposed midriff.

"Ai amu sorrii." She attempted a basic English sentence in response. "Ai do not andaastand." It didn't seem to work the way she planned. They continued advancing on her, until a tall, dark and unbelievably handsome man stood in their way. He said something in English, well beyond her powers of understanding. He must have been well respected or feared, for the men almost immediately backed off. "Sankyu." She said earnestly to her saviour, blushing slightly.

Speaking Japanese, he replied "It was nothing. My name is Alan. Nice to meet you." Minako blushed deeper as he spoke. She thought she had found her first love. At long last… Kaitou Ace's words again echoed through her mind. _Your love shall be hopeless for all eternity… _No. No, no, no, he was wrong. Danburite was an agent of the Dark Kingdom. Of course he would lie to upset her.

"Likewise." At the exact moment of need, Katarina re-entered. After a brief discussion to Alan, Katarina turned to the men, in absolute outrage. She delivered another speech to them, although Minako had the sense to know it wasn't exactly a friendly one. She took Minako in her arms and gestured for Alan to accompany them to the Boss's office.


	7. The Boss

At the ornate door handle, Minako bristled. There was an air, an aura, around this room that she didn't like. She hesitated to warn the other two. No. Not yet. She wasn't sure. Entering, there sat the boss of Katarina's department. A tall, thin and quite menacing man, his face was very drawn at the corners. In his own, strange way however, he was surprisingly attractive. Minako failed to notice these details, primarily because of the evil feeling that she could shake, but also Alan. She could not focus with him around. He was so distracting, pulling on the edge of her consciousness, demanding every thought. She had fallen quite deep, already, and it was a familiar feeling for her. Artemis constantly reminded her of her many first loves, and joking made out she had more than 5 000 of them now. He wasn't far from wrong.

"Welcome to England, Sailor V-san." Another voice, also in Japanese, expressed his sentiment. Minako assumed it was the boss. There was something distinctly evil about the way he said it. "I've heard of your plight from Katarina." A small smile plucked at the edges of his lips as he continued. "I would be honoured to offer you my full assistance." The smile spread, and the hairs on the back of Minako's neck stood up straight. Thankfully covered by her long, blond hair, she could advance on him without him noticing that she was so wary.

"I thank you for offer, Boss-san. I hope you will understand that I first have to examine you with the holy light, to ensure you are trustworthy." Minako smiled at the cleverness of her own plan. If he refused, he was clearly sided with the Dark Actors, and if he accepted, she would know for sure. "Will you allow me, or shall I be forced to fight you for the right?" A small laugh came from that disconcerting smile.

"Of course, V-san."

"Then so be it. Light of Venus!" She thrust her transformation pen into the air and orange light gathered on the tip. "Search for faults in the armour of this man's soul and reveal any foul alliances!" She focussed the ball of light into a small beam instead. Pointing it immediately at the boss, he clicked fingers. Rather than pass through his heart, as Minako had intended, the light stopped short of him. He laughed again, deeper and with more intention.

A new voice spoke from the Boss's body. "Clever, V-san. You thought to force me to reveal myself. I hope you understand it won't be done so easily." The smile became a smirk before he used his power to completely dissipate the light and suddenly disappear. Minako sagged her shoulders and began to pant, exhausted from her small venture. In dissipating the light, a large of amount of her energy had been expended also.

"Minako!" Katarina and Alan ran up to her and supported her.

Bitterly and with a hint of deadpan sarcasm, she said "I hope you realise that wasn't your boss."


	8. The Ugly Truth

I realise I've almost completely ignored all the canon about this topic, but let's just pretend that Alan isn't with Interpol, he's just in the office. Forgive me my trespasses here. I'm sorry for not sticking to canon, if it annoys you, but that's why it's a fanfiction, not an authorfiction, I guess.

They walked back to that first room, although by the will of fate it was empty this time. Katarina turned to face her. "Do you have any idea what just happened?"

"A little one. Your boss has masqueraded as an Interpol officer. But, he's been with the Dark Kingdom this whole time. He's been waiting, trying to lure out the Sailor Senshi – me and my comrades – and nip our threat in the bud. I hope he realises we won't go down without a fight."

"So… they knew that you existed. Before you knew."

"Yes. They saw us, in the past. When we fought for the Silver Millennium. They defeated us then, but our queen used her power to seal away their strongest warrior, as well their leader. They cannot leave their Kingdom. But the subordinates can. And one posed as a police officer. Thus, we are here now." Minako knew most of this went straight over Alan's head, but she had more important things to worry about. But still, that man was just too much. She couldn't think straight with him there. Then he spoke.

"Well, we have to find out where he's gone. If we can do that, then we'll be hot on the trail of whoever it is you're after, V-san." Minako almost laughed as she realised this new love of her just offered to join their little ragtag force. She decided to drop her transformation.

"Call me Minako." She smiled straight at him, a little coy smile she used as bait. "You're right. But more importantly, I have to learn English."

Alan laughed. "I'll teach you. Bit by bit. Katarina can do some intel work while we go."

And so the months passed. Katarina worked in the office, gathering information and any and every inexplicable act all over the country and most of mainland Europe. And Alan taught Minako English. Slowly. Very slowly. But she learnt. When you have a teacher like him, every little thing they say sticks to your brain like glue. When you love them.

On weekends, they would take breaks, and go on picnics and around London and sometimes other places in England, but always following a lead. And then one lead took them all the way. Or close to.

Minako had virtually mastered English by now, and there was one lead they had yet to follow up. The warehouse. A shipping dock, mainly used for London-France trade had a fair share of supernatural activity. One warehouse, in particular, was though to carry a curse. But V-san and her two friends knew better. The Dark Actors were behind it all. This could be their one chance to pin them down. They arrived, in an unmarked police car, and strolled towards to the warehouse in question. The door was slightly ajar. Minako transformed, and disguised herself as Sailor V. She held a hand, telling Katarina to wait there. She was a fantastic police officer, but Minako wouldn't let her risk her life on this. She walked in, and continued through. In the innermost part, a man waited in a chair, with the back turned. She couldn't see who he was, but she'd felt this vibe before. He turned his chair, and who should be standing there but Katarina's boss? "Welcome, V-san." He was so polite, it was creepy. There was something very wrong with this man. She was glad she'd charged the Crescent Moon Compact. She was going to need every bit of power she could muster. "How very nice of you to drop in."

"Tell me what you want, and why you've attacked England!"

"It's simple. Your boss already told you. We want to free the other half of our organisation: the Dark Destroyers and Dark Destiny. You may have gotten through the Dark Agency, but I assure you we won't be so easy." Something he said didn't make sense. How did he know that Boss had told her that? It made no sense. Unless…

"Boss? You were Boss all along, weren't you? You played Artemis and I for fools. It was you, wasn't it? Wasn't it?!"

He laughed, a mirthless, evil chuckle. "Very perceptive, Minako-chan. I am indeed, as you call me, Boss."


	9. The Dark Actors

Minako gasped. This man from the Dark Kingdom had been leading her this entire time. Was she… just a pawn? Had they planned to bring her to England, to target her, alone, and take her out? Was this the end?

No. She hadn't told Alan yet. He needed to know, just like the other 5 000 that had come and gone. She couldn't let it end here without her happy ending. She wouldn't let it. Not her, not now. She would win. And she would stop them. But… how?

"V-san. Please relax a little. We don't need to fight. Let me tell you a little story. When Serenity sealed our kingdom away, she made, shall we say, a little mistake. The shadow of the Ginzuishou (Silver Crystal) fell to Earth, both in the Nijizuishou (Rainbow Crystals) and a little thing that we like to call "La clé de la nuit". It currently resides in France, hidden under the Louvre. It's French for "Key of Night". A fitting name for the object that will send this universe to the grave forever, don't you think?" He said it so calmly, it was disturbing. "You know, you were never meant to defeat Danburite. But he was a fool. He loved you. He loved you from a thousand years ago. And he never let it go. Such a fool. Believing in love. Love is for the weak, and the powerless. Those of us who have true power, feel no need for such pitiful emotions." As they left his lips, those final words, they were replaced by a beam of holy light from the blue-clad soldier in front of him.

"How dare you!? How dare you assign value to our feelings!? It's our love for one another that gives us the will to fight on, and to never give up, no matter how hard it gets! It's our love that connects us and makes us strong. We may be weak alone, but with our love, we can be 3, 4 even 100 times as strong!"

He laughed again, that disturbing, horrible laugh. "Getting angry, V-san? Well, I have bigger fish to fry. You'll have to deal with these." A wall behind him rose, and in doing so revealed hundreds upon hundreds of the black-robed men she had first encountered in this country. She was going to have to get creative. "Have fun." He left that horrible laugh as a parting gift, as he disappeared, meaning, she was sure, to go and get that key. She had more immediate concerns.

"Well, nothing like the direct approach." Minako ran straight into the field of these black-robed man-demons, kicking and punching and dissolving them to shadows left and right. But whenever one fell, there were another two to take its place. She would never beat them all like this. She reached the centre, where she found herself encircled by these strange beings. Right on cue, Katarina and Alan ran in, guns blazing and ready to fight. The men-demons scattered, scared by the new sound. "Oneesama! Alan! Perfect timing!"

"Anytime, Minako!" Katarina replied. A true warrior. Both of them. It was fate, she was sure. They were warriors from her past, re-incarnated in her present. More importantly, they were friends. More than friends. There were no words for their relationship. But enough poetry. It was time to fight.

Minako scanned the field once more and placed a rough estimate and about 700 left to take out. The began charging that strange black energy again, and this time she was sure it was offensive, not defensive. She had to take them all out. Now. For Katarina. For Alan. For the world.

Artemis jumped onto her shoulder and whispered in her ear. "You know what to do." She nodded, the ends of her long hair flicking as she went. She held up the Crescent Moon Compact and summoned forth the rain of Venus. "Katarina! Alan! Take cover! This could get dangerous!" She pointed straight upwards, into the heart of the rainstorm. "Crescent Beam!" A straight and bright beam of golden light travelled directly to the heart of the storm. When it reached, the water droplets were replaced with more beams of light. Raining from left and right, a shower of the holy light cleansed the souls of these godforsaken creatures. Each one melted to shadows, leaving nothing in its wake. The fight was wearing down her disguise as she stood in the centre, her mask and blue frills disappearing in a halo of light. Clad in a brilliant orange, stood Sailor Venus. She stood, funnelling the light for her holy storm into the eye of the golden maelstrom that had gathered above her. When not one evil soul was left standing, she relinquished the beam and allowed the attack to end. She stood alone, in the centre of the room. The warrior princess of the Silver Millennium. And now, soldier of Love and Beauty, destroyer of the Dark Agency and victor over the Dark Actors. She stood strong and proud as her friends came down to meet her.

"Minako!" The combined cry from the two police officers came as they ran to her side. "You were fantastic!" Katarina shouted at her. "You defeated an army single-handedly!"

A blonde head shook as the hugged the woman and the man opposite her. "I didn't do it single-handedly. I had you." A small stream of tears started from all three pairs of eyes as they hugged tighter and tighter. As they released one another, Alan whispered to Minako, "Thank you." She didn't know what he was meant to mean. She didn't know what he really meant. All she knew was that it meant he loved her too. Could anything be better than this day?

"Go on ahead. I'll make sure there aren't any left." They all nodded collectively, and walked in different directions: Alan and Katarina to the exit and Minako further in, no idea it was to be the last time they ever saw each other again. After opening three doors, Minako found no more. As she turned to leave, she found one more door, slightly ajar in the shadows at the far end of the corridor. She approached it carefully and, opening it fully, found another man inside. A quick beam through, and he was naught but mist. But it was not him that sentenced her to separation. It was the grenade it held. As it dropped to the floor, she began running too late. It exploded, and so did the warehouse. There was no way for her to have survived.


	10. Number 5001

Yet survive she did. Ancient princesses were not so easy to be rid of. Yet she didn't know if it was to be a blessing or a curse. Ancient grudges can be just as stubborn. She limped out, holding her shoulder, battered, bruised and beaten. She had won, but it might be a long time before she could fight again. She didn't have a long time. She had places to be. Like back with Alan.

She limped on and on and saw Alan and Katarina near the bay. Katarina was crying into his shoulder. They were so close, her body matching perfectly to his. She steeled herself to begin walking again when she heard them speak. "It's so unfair, Alan! The girl was 14! Why did she have to die? Why?!"

"I know, Katarina. I know." Then, in one single, heart-crushing moment, they hugged. It was more than a consolatory hug, more than a hug between friends. Just as Minako thought she may be able to ignore it, it got worse. He reached his head down and kissed her lips. Just gently, but the blow he dealt to Minako could have been a ton of bricks. She fell to her knees, just out of their sight, incapable of standing. Kaitou Ace's words echoed inside her head. _Your love shall be doomed for all eternity. _First love number 5001: Failure. He was right. She would never find love. Every path she could take held nothing but a broken heart. She would fight for her princess. The Earth and the princesses of the Silver Millennium would not fall. But victory was hollow if she knew that she fought for a phantom dream, a false fate. She would never find love. As they walked away, she curled into a ball. She would never find love. She sat there, and as she did, the heavens opened and rain fell on her. She did not care. She would never find love. The rain falling on her was heavy, but the rain from her eyes was heavier still. She cried, and cried and cried until sweet night embraced her, taking her sight with a veil of darkness. She sat the crying for almost an entire day. She would never find love.

But she would not let herself fall here. If she would never find love, she would not those who took it from her win. She would fight the Dark Kingdom, and she would win. Failure was not an option. She would win. She would win, and she would find love. She would not lose hope. And with this mindset, she took up the mantle of the warrior once more, and left for France.


	11. L'amour en France

It ended the way it began, on a plane. "How poetic." Minako chuckled lowly, mirthlessly. She had claimed Artemis and he rested on her shoulder, mewling softly on occasion, but Minako was too distracted to really hear. Katarina and Alan loved one another. How did she not see it? It was just so obvious. She berated herself internally, bitterly regretting letting her foolish heart outside her grasp. When would she learn? But it was behind her now. She didn't need him. She would find another. He was in her past, and she had an important future to move towards. She couldn't wait for a man who had promised himself to someone else.

She landed in France and was immediately stung with the realisation the language barrier had built itself up again. She was fluent in English, but knew no French. Fluent in English thanks to Alan. _Your love shall be doomed for all eternity… _The memories hurt. But she proudly put one foot in front of the other. She would not lose to the Dark Kingdom, or to herself. She was determined. She was sure she could someone who spoke English, or, with Heaven's blessing, Japanese. But it was a curse in disguise when she did.

As she left the airport, a freshly-bought phrasebook in her pocket, she weighed her options. She had roughly a week. At most. If Boss hadn't already taken the key. She had to act fast. She knew it was under the Louvre. But she didn't know where. She didn't even know where the Louvre was. She saw a man with shoulder-length white hair in a black suit. A red-rose lapel pin was visible above his shoulder. She walked up to him, studying her phrasebook, prepared to ask one simple question. She cleared her throat to get his attention. "_Excusez-moi, monsieur. Parlez-vous anglais?" _He turned around, and at the same moment, stole Minako's heart. His face was perfect. Framed by the hair, his sharp features had an inherent attractiveness that she could not resist. His eyes were so blue they were almost white. The attraction solidified to a stone-strong grip when he spoke.

"Of course, _mademoiselle. _I am a traveller. I speak all languages."

"Do you speak Japanese?"

"Make an educated guess." His voice was so low, so mysterious; she couldn't help but be drawn in. He had a beauty that rivalled even the most elegant of Venusians, a beauty to envy. And Minako did more than envy. She coveted it. She wanted it her own. This was the man she would find love with, she was sure of it. Reverting to her mother tongue, she made sure the connection wasn't lost.

"Well, seeing as, we may as well speak it. I need to get to the Louvre." She spoke with urgency, and she hoped it didn't betray her true purpose.

"Why in such a hurry?"

"There's…" She stammered as she searched for the right lie to fill this hole. This man drew on the edge of her consciousness, like Alan had. She couldn't think straight. _Your love shall be doomed for all eternity… _She shook her head, and tried her sentence anew. "There's something there I need to see."

"Well, it's a happy coincidence, isn't it? There's something I need to see there, too. We could go together."

"I don't think it's the same thing." Minako treasured the idea that her dream man was asking _her _out to date, in Paris. The most romantic city on the planet. It was precious. But she couldn't she had a job to do.

"It wouldn't happen to be la clé de la nuit, would it?"


	12. Sous le Ciel de Paris

She gasped. How did this man know? About the key, about the Louvre, all the secrets that were meant to be hers alone? How much else did know? Did he know why she wanted it? "How… how do you know about that?"

"Well, I'll explain it all to you. If, that is, you'll do me the honour of coming to dinner with me tonight."

Blushing furiously, Minako had to bite her tongue to stop it screaming "Yes!" by itself. She knew she still would but she had to rationalise it first. Looking at it objectively, she needed to know is this man was an enemy, and more importantly, how he knew about that key. Everything else could come later. Her mind made up, she responded kindly. "Well…" she said, with a coy smile "I guess I don't really have a choice, do I?"

And just like that, she and the man she knew she would have a future with were sitting opposite each other in the nicest restaurant in Paris. She was still blushing furiously and had yet to relinquish her coy little smile. She was playing two games here. One for the key, and one for his heart. Her move. "So, you owe me an explanation or two. How do you know about the key, and what do you want with it?"

His move. "I'm a mythologist. A research myths and legends and find out whether or not they are true. Right now, I'm on the case of a mysterious ancient meteor shower. Rumour has it the Louvre was built around a strange black stone that fell to earth during this shower. I just want to know. But more importantly, right now, I'm unravelling the mystery of your beauty. Do you think you could possibly be the most beautiful woman in the world?"

Blushing still deeper, Minako conceded he had made a good move. But now it was her turn. An elegant flick of her hair made sure he appreciated the beauty he saw. "Not often, but I think I could be in contest. Keep in mind I'm only fourteen."

His turn. "I'm only sixteen. It's not that much of a difference, is it?"

She gasped. Only sixteen and already a mythologist accomplished enough to pay for a meal like this. She was glad she'd packed her good dress; anything less and she'd have looked a fool. There were two games being played, and so far, he was outplaying her at both. She'd turn this around yet. Her move. "So you're only sixteen. And you're fairly beautiful yourself. But still, do you know what the key really is?"

Checkmate. He couldn't move here. If he did, he was an enemy. If he didn't, he was no use in finding the key. But he would make a good husband. "No. I just thought it was an artefact." It seemed artificial, like there was something that he might be hiding. No enough that Minako noticed through her romantic eyes as they stared, each at the other. "Do you have a place to stay?"

"I was working on it."

"There's a spare bed in my apartment if you want it."

She wasn't sure if it was creepy or romantic. But she was sure that this could be an ideal time to put her martial arts skills to the test. She might need them later. "I'd like it, but how do I know there's not an ulterior motive there?"

"You don't. You might just have to take the risk."

Now that she was sure he was romantic. Did she really mind if there was an ulterior motive? All of the choices out there, this seemed like a good one. "Okay. But first, we plan out how we storm the Louvre."

"We?"

"Well, you weren't planning on me having all the fun, were you?"


	13. A Job to Do

They returned to his apartment, the spare bed of which Minako was relieved to discover was in a separate room to the master bedroom. In his spacious living room, they each had a cup of coffee and were leaning over a low-lying, chestnut table. A floor plan of the Louvre lay extended over the table, and they studied it. Minako spoke first. "Do you have any idea where it might be?"

"Well, seeing as it is the Key of Night, I imagine it would be somewhere with a view of the night sky. Given my studies, it would probably be near the centre somewhere. More of the old-castle area than the museum bit. So, maybe somewhere around… there." He pointed at a seemingly random point on the map. Minako didn't trust the logic.

"I find it hard to believe that nobody had known about it for thousands of years. Isn't it possible that it was moved into the museum, around the artworks? It seems like a good place to hide it, to me." She smiled, again with that little bit of coyness.

"You have a point. It is possible it was moved. A nice place, in the moonlight, under the stars." He returned the emotions in her smile.

"I think it would be about here." Minako pointed directly at the map, hitting the spot the most open to the sky. Level 3, centre of the corridor. Able to bathe in the moonlight. The moonlight… maybe the key moved itself, seeking the light of the moon from which it fell. The moonlight, the tears of her princess as her love was torn from her. The moonlight, her history, doomed to repeat itself again and again and again. _Your love shall be doomed for all eternity… _She shook her head, clearing the thoughts. "I'm a little tired. And we have a big day tomorrow. I'm going to bed. But I guess I owe you for giving me the room." She smiled again and leaned into him. She brushed a kiss across his lips, shortly and tauntingly. She winked as she walked towards her room. Was that a blush she saw?

She retired to her room and sat thinking. Another first love. Number 5002. Would he be the success? Or would he walk away like the rest of them? Artemis jumped onto her shoulder. "Don't let yourself be distracted, Mina. You have a job to do."

Sighing as she fell backwards, she looked up at the ceiling from her bed. "I know, Artemis. I know."


	14. A Love to Have

She woke up and smelt something cooking. She smiled. He cooked, too. Could he be more perfect? Emerging from her room, she looked at him cooking. He already was more perfect. She knew, because she also now knew he slept shirtless. "Good morning."

He jumped and turned around, showing the front of his body to the blonde on the other end of the room. And she enjoyed it. He couldn't be more perfect. Physically, emotionally, everything. He was perfect. "Oh, hello…" He laughed awkwardly, as though he had forgotten she was there. His shoulder-length white hair almost drew her attention from his physique. Almost. His shoulders shook as he laughed and he looked to his bedroom door. "I'll go and get dressed."

She shook her head. "Don't bother. I didn't finish paying you last night." He looked confused. She walked in slowly and wrapped her arms around his neck. She followed through with her face, her lips. A proper and true kiss. She pressed herself into him, feeling his body against her and his lips against hers. He was warm and firm under her, keeping her pulled and locked in. It wasn't really needed. They locked against each other automatically. It wasn't really their choice. They could have tried to pull apart, but they couldn't have, really. She felt his muscles tense and loosen as she renewed her passion, her tongue wrapping gently around his, completing this moment of total bliss. First love number 5002: success. She had tried and tried and tried, and finally she had found the one, and she knew he felt it too. She pulled away, gasping for breath, exhilarated, all while staring deeply into his eyes. So deeply that she failed to notice the blush spreading all over his tanned skin, radiating from his high cheekbones, filling up the structure that formed his perfect face. She only noticed his brilliant blue eyes. And something strange in them – almost confusion. Just the slightest glimpse, before it faded into the same excitement she felt. They had shared something, something intangible. But more than either of them knew. She leant back in, and he tensed ready for another kiss. "Let's go storm the Louvre." And then they went back to the bliss, back to the kiss. They kept kissing as their breakfast burnt behind them. And neither of them ever knew.


	15. The Ace of Hearts, Doomed Love

Their plan was laid out. They would enter the Louvre at 3:00 pm, sharp. They would examine the exhibits, particularly those in the windows, and look for clues. At closing time, they would hide and when the guards left, they would find the key, and they would have it to do with as they please. And maybe, just maybe, they'd allow themselves a few kisses along the way. It was Paris, after all. Where else would you fall in love?

The plan didn't get off to a great start. The line was about twice the size they'd anticipated, so they didn't enter the Louvre until 3:33 pm. A thirty-three minute delay was negligible, however. They still had several hours until their plan really kicked in. They went around the Louvre, looking at all the artworks and displays. They kept up a charade of a happy young couple to avert suspicion. But was it really a charade? Minako allowed herself to imagine it wasn't. Kaitou Ace was wrong. She had found love. And it was beautiful. More beautiful than even she'd imagined. This day was the day she'd dreamed of, non-stop, ever since she could spell love. She had someone to love and to love her in return. They met under the Paris skies, and in a whirlwind of romance and perfection, they would continue to spend the rest of their lives together. She was giddy just thinking about it.

But something was wrong. He wasn't speaking. He was very artificial in his movements. She knew that he loved her. It was obvious. Could they have kissed like that if he didn't? But if he loved her, why was he so worried? Something was wrong, and she intended to find out what before the sun set. The announcements sounded that it was time for tourists and visitors to leave. That is to say, it was time to hide. She and her love ducked surreptitiously behind a model of a Sphinx. There was a small room hidden behind it that they had seen in the floor plan. The perfect hiding place. Slightly cramped, but two teenage lovers had no quarrel over sharing space. Particularly if they could each stare into the other's eyes, each into the other's souls, and if their lips were in range, well, that was a bonus, too. Minako imagined a servant couple from the days when this was castle, sneaking into this very room for some private time, some intimate kisses and a romantic getaway. She imagined herself as queen, beckoning her king into a small side room where they could share each other's company without the court demanding their opinions on this, that and the other. It was all for aught when the two of them had a love like this. But still, he seemed to be concerned, less natural then he was before. He was almost scared of touching her, like she carried the plague. And every time she went to ask why, he looked at her. And his gaze was so mournful, so regretful that she almost cried herself. She couldn't ask him why. Not now. Besides, she had a job to do. She almost heard Artemis speak in her head. Why did this bother her so much? She had more important things to worry about now.

And then he spoke. Robotically, unemotionally. "It's time."

She nodded, sadly. She'd expected more. She'd wanted him to come gushing with explanations, like a romantic comedy. But this was real life, not some sappy teenage movie. She had more important things to do.

Together, they ran through the moonlit corridors. Minako couldn't help but blush at how romantic it was. And yet they weren't taking advantage of the setting. This should have been the perfect date – romantic setting, a moonlit night with just a hint of danger. And they the perfect couple, the king and queen of Venus, the god and goddess of beauty themselves. But still something just wasn't right.

They tried work after work, plaque after plaque, looking for a secret doorway or compartment that could an ancient artefact. And they had little to no success, in no small part thanks to the complete lack of clues they found in daylight. And that Minako was more worried about him than the key.

And so the hours passed, and no success was had. Until a moonbeam shifted, and something caught Minako's eye. "Wait." She almost whispered, almost yelled it. She was standing next to the_ Nike of Samothrace._ But there was something different about it. In the silvery glow the fell through the windows, the right shoulder on the sculpture looked almost to be burning. A small flow of black gas came off it. Barely detectable, it seemed perfect. "I think it's in there." Dwarfed by the sculpture, Minako climbed carefully up the back of the gargantuan goddess. It very well could have been a friend in a past life. If she was Venus, and this was Nike, who was to say? She thought it must be so, because it almost seemed like the sculpture itself was helping her ascent. She reached the smoking joint, and ran her hand over it. Again, the sculpture seemed to guide her. The moonlight focused into a single beam, and pointed exactly where Nike had led her hand. She felt a small lump. A button. She pressed it, and the sculpture began to shake. She jumped down with the grace of a dancer, and watched the quaking stone change shape. A second wing began to extend from the seemingly ruined right shoulder and concurrently, a head grew from the broken neck. It almost came to life, craning its neck to look upon Minako. It spoke, in a grating voice, its throat and mouth made of stone.

"By the bequest of Selene, you shall receive the Clé de la Nuit if the holy light finds you worthy." The sculpture turned its eyes upon Minako and the moonlight reflected from them directly towards her. As it passed through her body, she felt it pierce the armour of her soul, and find the truth of her inner being. _Please, _she begged silently, _please give it to me. I will not see this world destroyed like the Silver Millennium! _Responding to her plea, the light faded. The statue spoke again, in its stony, unsettling voice. "Girl, you have passed the test. You are indeed pure. But beware, for there are those who would use your purity to try and take advantage of you. You have your warning, and now your rightful reward shall be bestowed." With a mighty flap of its stone wings, Nike dislodged a brick on the opposite wall. To the average observer, it was simply another brick. But to the two who stood before it, it was different entirely. It was darker, almost totally black, it was smaller, hardly the size of Minako's hand, and it radiated evil energy like had never been felt. And it fell, drawn by the moonlight, straight into the outstretched hand of the waiting girl. Selene's bequest, delivered by Nike and now received by the reincarnation of Venus. The stars had written this from the day of their birth, surely. But the stone wasn't the only evil in the room.

A voice, both familiar and unfamiliar, emanated from the back of the room. "Give it to me." Minako spun, seeing her new-found boyfriend in the moonlight. His high cheekbones cast a shadow of his face. It made him both more beautiful and absolutely terrifying. He walked towards her with a new purpose. To take, to steal and to kill, if necessary. But it seemed like he wouldn't be able to bring himself to do it. He spoke again. His voice was even more unsettling than the statues. "Minako, give it to me." He looked to be on the verge of tears as he extended his hand, waiting for it. And Minako would have given it to him, had she not noticed the one fault in his performance.

"How do you know my name? I never told you!" She shook as she drew out her transformation pen, ready to fight for the small black key she held.

He sighed, knowing there was no way to backtrack what he'd said. "I'm not who you think I am. I'm Kunzite. A servant of the Dark Kingdom, and former leader of the Dark Actors. You defeated my army, you destroyed my life and I was prepared to destroy yours. But I needed you to find the key." Minako wouldn't believe it. Tears stained the ground as she turned her face away. "But something else happened along the way. I fell in love with you. You destroyed my life and I was prepared to destroy yours. But you stole my heart as well. Please, just give it to me so I don't have to hurt you."

He was crying now, because he was really speaking the truth. Minako knew it, but she couldn't believe it. She'd fallen in love with a servant of the Dark Kingdom, again. She began crying too as she stared at his eyes. She was crying, but it wasn't a sad gaze. It was almost hateful. There were no words for what she felt. The Dark Kingdom couldn't feel love. He'd just used her to get what he needed. And she'd fallen for it, hook, line and sinker. She fortified her gaze and made sure he really understood her meaning. She held up her pen and said "I'll never let your kingdom win. You've fooled me twice now and I'll never forgive you. This is for the Silver Millennium! **_Venus Power, Make Up!_**" A blaze of light lit up the room and the princess of Venus was left standing where her human form was before. "And this is for playing with a young girl's heart!" She threw the key into the air. Pointing her finger directly at it, she yelled "**_Crescent Beam!_**" A shot of yellow light ran straight through the middle of the key and it shattered. Now, the Dark Kingdom would never recover its minions. Now, the Dark Kingdom would never win. Now, Minako would never get back her first kiss, her first love, her first true love. She hoped it satisfied them. They would need something to replace their lost general. Turning her gaze on Kunzite, she had no intention of letting him leave. "You will pay for using me like that. I swear on my life."

"Not on your life, Minako. Never on your life, please." Kunzite implored her, but she wouldn't listen. As she went to raise her hand, with the intention of delivering another deadly blow, he swooped in and kissed her, one last time. But it was different. They both loved each other, it was clear. But, the kiss was cold. It was empty and meaningless. They didn't really love each other after all. "Is this really OK with you? I do love you, I really do." He was sincere, more than he had ever been. But Minako's gaze was more sincere still.

"If you truly loved me, you would have left without telling me who you were. You would have let me believe I meant nothing to someone I never really met. You wouldn't have made yourself my enemy." Something steeled in her as she said her final goodbye to her first love. Her heart… her soul… maybe something more. But it steeled strongly enough to override her love. "Now leave before I send you the same place I sent that key of yours."

One last tear fell to the ground as Kunzite disappeared. "Goodbye then, Venus. Goddess of love and beauty. Never forsake your heart."

How hopelessly pathetic. A heartless minion of the Dark Kingdom told her not to forsake her heart, after he ripped it out and tore it shreds. She fell to the ground and resumed crying anew. First love number 5002: failure. The tears wouldn't stop, no matter how hard she tried. She just sat there, crying. She had surrendered her first kiss, by her own will, to an impostor. She'd been fooled. He used her love and she, the goddess of love herself, never even noticed. She just cried. _Your love will be doomed for all eternity… _Kaitou Ace echoed in her head as her steel turned to dust. She would never find love.


	16. Epilogue

After he returned to the Dark Kingdom, Kunzite knew he would be in for it. Queen Beryl saw everything. She would know that he had found out the civilian identity of a Senshi and kept it from her, that he had intended to use her to gain the key but instead fell in love with her and let her destroy it. And she would be angry. She would have some horrible punishments in store for him. And she did.

"Kunzite." Her voice dragged slowly and painfully, like liquid metal. "You have betrayed our cause. You know that in any normal circumstance, this would warrant you death. But you are no normal circumstance. You are too valuable to throw away." The coldness of her voice chilled his blood and turned his bones to ice. It gave the impression that he really could be thrown away, if the urge took her. "Therefore, I have decided to enforce upon you the harshest punishment possible without permanently harming you. I know you will not divulge the identity of Sailor Venus willingly. And I also know you have come to believe the illusion that is love, and that you think yourself in love with Sailor Venus, of all possible people. Therefore, I shall erase from your memory the very existence of Sailor Venus, and any phantom emotions you have fooled yourself into feeling for her."

Kunzite's heart sank and his body wished with every fibre to rebel, to stop Beryl taking his memories of love. The light, the purity he experienced with Venus had been such a release from the darkness that was all he'd ever known. He prayed that his Queen would reconsider. He prayed that he would be allowed to remember the love he had felt. Being with Venus meant everything now. The darkness held no further comfort for him. His reverie broke when Queen Beryl spoke again.

"I shall inject you with a further dose of dark power also, so that you will not succumb to this weakness again."

Kunzite resigned himself to his fate. He knew that urging his queen to reconsider would only tempt her to kill him, and Venus as well. It may have been the better option, but he realised that his love for Venus was not in himself, but in her. He knew now that no matter what happened to him, all he truly wanted was her to be happy. Fighting back would only bring the wrath of the Dark Kingdom on her faster. This was the best path to take. It tore him apart, but he knew he had no choice.

As Beryl's guards took him to his fate, he realised something else, also. This path, this room was familiar. As they laid him the cell, reminiscent of a ribcage, and locked him in place, he felt like he'd seen this before. And as his queen began to draw energy from some mysterious source, something that, through the haze of his consciousness, sounded like Metallia, and as it engulfed him, he realised that he had felt this before. This was not the first time the queen had taken his memory. He had been subjected to this once before. In the distant past, after the battle of the Moon Kingdom. He had almost thrown in the fight to save Princess Venus. And then the pain started. As the dark energy flowed through him, he instinctively tried to salvage memories of his love, of her, of the kisses and the closeness and the emotions and the everything. But the harder he tried to holder, the easier the darkness pulled it away. And within mere minutes, he rose again.

But he rose differently. He rose as a loyal soldier to the Dark Kingdom, with no memory of his love of his lover, nor any memory of love itself. He rose evil, through and through. He knelt beside his queen. "Queen Beryl-sama. I swear anew my commitment to my cause as a soldier of you Dark Kingdom." He knew not why he said it, for he had done nothing to cause her to expect him to break his first oath. He knew only that he must crush anything in his path so his queen could rule unquestioned.


End file.
